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Output Challenge Discussion Thread

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rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5234 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 1 of 42
21 February 2015 at 1:31pm | IP Logged 
I decided to start a separate discussion thread for the Output Challenge where we can post things others might find useful. Links to audio & video recordings, etc. Because we all need to do output I thought it might be useful to start with a list of potential subjects you might want to generate output about. I've previously posted this elsewhere but it seems very appropriate here.

Writing Prompts:
- What was your favorite food when you were a child? Is it different now? Why did it change/not change?
- What’s the #1 most played song on your MusicPlayer? When did you discover it? Why do you like it? Who introduced you to it?
- What is one of your favorite quotes? Why? What is the background of the person who said it? Do you admire them? Why?
- What’s your favorite indoor/outdoor activity? Who do you do it with? For how long? How did you start?
- If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for?
- If you could paint a picture of any scenery what would you paint? Have you neen there? With who? Why? When?
- If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? For what? Why? For how long?
- If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Why?
- When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
- Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best?
- What was one of the best parties you’ve ever been to? What made it great? Who else was there? Where?
- What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
- What was the last experience that made you a stronger person? Why did it make you strong?
- Tell us about the best/worst gift you’ve ever given/received?
- What story does your family always tell about you? What do they get right? What parts have they got wrong?
- Who would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island? Why?
- If money was no object, what would you do all day?
- What is your favorite memory?
- Describe your perfect day.
- If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to, why, and who would you meet with?
- If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
- What does it mean to have courage?
- Can you keep secrets? Describe a time you didn't.
- When did you kiss for the first time and what was it like?
- Describe an activity that you think is truly romantic.
- If you had to pick one place in your town to bring a tourist, where would you go? What would you do? Why?
- Describe your favorite vacation.
- When someone fails at something, what should he or she do?
- Do you know how you got your name? Why did you parents give you that name? Do you like it?
- If there is any place in the world that you could go to live for 1 year, where would it be and why?
- What would your previous co-workers say about you?
- A madman has tied five innocent people to a train track. An out of control train car is careening toward them, and is moments away from running them over. Luckily, you can pull a lever and divert the train to another track. The only problem is the madman has also tied a single person to that track. Considering the circumstances, should you pull the lever? Describe your thoughts.
- Write a description of your hometown for someone who has never been there. Include history, important landmarks, etc.
- Write a short biography of your favorite celebrity.
- Write about the rules of your favorite sport or game.
- Write instructions on how to prepare a meal you enjoy.
- Write about the traditions surrounding your favorite holiday and where they came from.
- Write an objective summary of a television show or movie you dislike.
- Compare and contrast one job or class with another job or class.
- Describe the view from your window as factually as possible.
- Write out instructions for how to ride a bicycle.
- Compare and contrast your house with a friend's house.
- Make something simple out of building toys or craft supplies, then write instructions on how to make it.
- Write a detailed description of the first object on your left.
- Write a short biography of a family member.
- Write instructions on how to use a phone, camera, or another device you use frequently.
- Write about your family history.
- Write detailed instructions on how to use an everyday object like scissors or a spoon as though you were explaining it to someone who had never seen the object before.
- Compare and contrast your city with another city you have visited.
- Write about the type of tree you see most in your area.
- Pick a month. Write about the type of weather your hometown generally has in that month.
- Compare and contrast two different places you would like to visit.
- Write about your birthstone.
- Write instructions on how to get dressed.
- Write about a historical figure that shares your birthday.
- Compare and contrast two different breeds of the same animal, like cats, dogs, or horses.
- Compare and contrast your clothes with someone else's.
- Write a summary of your favorite book.
- Write a detailed description of your work area.
- Compare and contrast two different types of hats.
- Compare and contrast the book version of a work with the movie version.
- Write about an older version of a current type of technology. For example: old telephones, letters or telegrams rather than e-mail, a slide rule or abacus rather than a calculator.
- Compare and contrast two types of fruit.
- Compare and contrast two objects that are the same color.
- Write instructions on how to clean your room.
- Compare and contrast the first book in a series with the last.
- Compare and contrast a remade movie with its original version.
- Write instructions on the best way to pack a backpack or suitcase.
- Write about a custom that your region has that other areas of the world do not.
- Compare and contrast the way people in your area say a certain phrase to the way it is said in other areas for example, people in different areas in the U.S. call soda different names; what the U.S. calls fries the U.K. calls chips.
- Write instructions for a basic safety procedure.
- Compare and contrast the governments of two countries that are on the same continent.
- Explain how to write an expository essay.
- Compare and contrast an expository and a persuasive essay.
- Compare and contrast two sources of information on the same subject; for example, a print encyclopedia entry and a Wikipedia entry, or a newspaper article and journal article.
- Write instructions on how to respond to a bully.
- Interview someone and write about their job.
- Compare and contrast two ancient mythologies (Greek/Roman, Egyptian, Norse, etc.)
- Write instructions on how to take care of a plant.
- Compare and contrast your typical breakfast with a friend's.
- Write about your favorite style of music- history, influential musicians, etc.
- Compare and contrast one style of music with another.
- Pick a fictional work that has at least one male and at least one female character. Compare and contrast their actions/role in the story.
- Write about how your school works or worked.
- Explain how to do a very simple cooking task, like boiling an egg or tossing a salad.
- Write directions on how to do laundry.
- Write instructions on how to replace batteries.
- Write about how to keep a car or bike in good condition.
- Write about the types of animals that live in your climate.
- Write about the types of animals that live in a climate very different from yours.
- Write instructions on how to take care of glasses.
- Write instructions on how to take care of someone who is sick.
- Write about the symptoms of a specific illness.
- Compare and contrast a man's shoe and a woman's shoe.
- Write about ways to cheer someone up.
- Explain how to play a video game.
- Write about the history of a food item, like peanut butter or soda.
- Compare and contrast tea and coffee.
- Write about an allergy or dietary restriction someone you know has.
- Write about how to tell when someone is upset.
- Write about ways to keep from getting scared.
- Write about how to dress for a certain type of weather.
- Write instructions on how to take care of a scrape or cut.
- Write about ways to tell someone you care about them.
- If you know two languages, compare and contrast them.
- Look in the mirror and describe yourself as though you were describing a stranger.
- Write about a 'behind the scenes' job- stagehand, cameraman, animator, etc.
- Write about how to plan an outfit.
- Compare and contrast a food with a substitute for someone who is allergic- for example, milk and soy milk.
- Write instructions on how to find and identify a constellation.
- Write instructions on how to play a musical instrument.
- Compare and contrast two types of cars.
- Write about how to introduce yourself to someone.
- Write about ways to stay warm when it's cold or cold when it's warm.
- Write instructions on how to find information for a report.
- Write about ways to remember something.
- Compare and contrast two different parks or playgrounds.
- Compare and contrast two different types of rock.
- Write instructions on how to solve a math problem.
- Compare and contrast a baby and an adult of the same species.
- Write instructions on how to break a bad habit.
- Write a guide to good manners.
- Write instructions on what to do if you get lost.
- Write directions from one place in your town to another.
- Compare and contrast two different types of fish or bird.
- Write about what you should put in a first aid kit.
- Write about what you should bring with you when you go camping.
- Write instructions on how to fish.
9 persons have voted this message useful



Arthaey
Groupie
United States
arthaey.com
Joined 5044 days ago

97 posts - 155 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 2 of 42
21 February 2015 at 6:59pm | IP Logged 
I'd like to sign up with Spanish! I'm finding that I still need to push my output, even though I'm spending 2015 in Mexico.
1 person has voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5234 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 3 of 42
21 February 2015 at 7:19pm | IP Logged 
Arthaey wrote:
I'd like to sign up with Spanish! I'm finding that I still need to push my output, even though I'm spending 2015 in Mexico.

No problem, go here to register for the Output Challenge
2 persons have voted this message useful



Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6595 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 4 of 42
21 February 2015 at 8:25pm | IP Logged 
The thread got locked, probably accidentally instead of getting pinned.
3 persons have voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5234 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 5 of 42
21 February 2015 at 9:46pm | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
The thread got locked, probably accidentally instead of getting pinned.

That is my luck! LOL. Any clue how to unlock it?
1 person has voted this message useful





jeff_lindqvist
Diglot
Moderator
SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 6907 days ago

4250 posts - 5711 votes 
Speaks: Swedish*, English
Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French
Personal Language Map

 
 Message 6 of 42
22 February 2015 at 12:37am | IP Logged 
It should be open now.
2 persons have voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5234 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 7 of 42
22 February 2015 at 1:21am | IP Logged 
jeff_lindqvist wrote:
It should be open now.

You're a STAR! Thanks!
1 person has voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5234 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 8 of 42
05 March 2015 at 6:55pm | IP Logged 
Hello everyone. I thought I would drop by here and give some possible resources for you to use.

Probably the most useful program which runs on all platforms is Audacity. Audacity is an opensource, free program which will allow you to edit, record, manipulate just about any type of recording. It can split tracks, reduce noise, import, export, convert, and just about everything else you'd like to do with audio.

If you want a simple portable recorder, and you have an android smartphone then I recommend an app called Smart Voice Recorder which will turn your phone into a dictation machine. It will save to your phone as a wav file and your can edit it if you need to with Audacity above.

If you're the charming good-looking type, then perhaps video is for you? There are some instructions here and here.

If you want to record your skype calls you can use MP3 Skype Recorder, but I warn you I have never used it so don't know if it is any good.

A word of warning. If you are recording anyone other than yourself, you MUST inform them. Basically this is a courtesy in some places and a law in others. But it is covered by the golden rule, do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.


3 persons have voted this message useful



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